An aged anatomist selecting his dissection instrument while a young woman tries to warn that his subject is alive. Coloured etching by T. Rowlandson, 1811.

  • Rowlandson, Thomas, 1756-1827.
Date:
12 March 1811
Reference:
11062i
Part of:
Tegg's caricatures
  • Pictures

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About this work

Description

A poster on the wall reads: "A course of anatomical lectures accompanied with dissections will be delivered tomorrow even[ing] by Professor Sawbone". A bust of a man stares down disapprovingly

Vincent identifies the scene as being inspired by a scene in the play The anatomist; or, the sham-doctor, by Edward Ravenscroft (1654?-1707), which was performed at the Drury Lane Theatre on 19 December 1801 and elsewhen. Ravenscroft's play was in turn an adaptation of Crispin médecin by Noël Le Breton, Sieur de Hauteroche (1617-1707). The bust may be of Shakespeare (suitable for a scene in a play) or of William Harvey, the anatomist; Black, loc. cit., notes a resemblance of the bust to William Hunter

Publication/Creation

[London] (111 Cheapside) : Thos. Tegg, 12 March 1811.

Physical description

1 print : etching, with watercolour ; platemark 35.5 x 24.8 cm.

Lettering

The anatomist. Rowlandson del.

References note

British Museum, Catalogue of political and personal satires, vol. IX, London 1949, no. 11800
L.M. Vincent, 'The anatomist by Thomas Rowlandson (1726-1827): the play's the thing', Medical history, 2005, 49: 213-218
Peter Black (ed.), "My highest pleasures": William Hunter's art collection, London 2007, p. 156

Reference

Wellcome Collection 11062i

Type/Technique

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Where to find it

  • Copy 1

    LocationStatusAccess
    Closed stores
    11062i.1
  • Cut to platemark

    LocationStatusAccess
    Closed stores
    11062i.2

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